Rolling mill



ROLLING MILL s Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Jan. 12 1928 M m 1 L L N Wk RN NN MN Q Q QNE ow IWJ July 18, 1933.

R. M. KEENEY 5r AL ROLLING MILL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1928 rllllll INVENTORS July 18, 1 933. R. M. KEENEY Er AL 1,918,953

ROLLING MILL Filed Jan. 12, 1928 3 Sheet's-Sheec 3 IIZ E 4 7 .v 7 3 Q 43v 3 4 3 Z 4 INVENTORS view of one of the coilers Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT M. KEENEY AND JOHN PERI, OI IIDLAND, PENIfISYLVANIA. RQLLING m1,

' Application filed January 12, 1938. Serial Io. 846,181.

This invention relates to the rolling of metal in strip-like form and while as herein described, it is particularly applicable to the hot rolling of iron or steel strips or strip sheets of light gauge and great length, 1t 1s also ap licable in certain its aspects to the cold r0 ling of metal in strip-like form. In the manufacture of sheet steel it has been proposed, and in some cases practiced, to supersede the old and common methods of finishing comparatively short lengths of rough-rolled sheets by matching and doubling, by rolling wide and long sheets 1n a continuous mill. Not only does this require a mill of great length and very accurate relative adjustment of the passes through the successive stands of rolls, but the strip 1n the process of reduction and elongation loses heat so rapidly that the manufacture of the lighter gauges of sheets in this way has been economically impracticable It s the primary object of the present invention to provide means whereby long and thin strlps can be heated effectively and economically during the process of rolling, and therefore can be reduced to any thinne's attainable by hot rolling, and the entire operation, after the initial roughing-down, can, if deslred, be carried out in a single stand of rolls.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal sectional elevation of the finishing rolls of a strip mill having combined therewith mechanism embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan and its operating mechanism.' Figure 3 is a section of the coiler on the line IIIIII of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-IV of Figure 3. Figures 5 and 6 show alternative means for maintaining tension upon the strip.

The stand of rolls 1 is shown only conventionally, and it will be understood that suitable means for adjustment of the rolls, and other proper accessories, will be emloyed. The strip being rolled is-designated by the broken line 2. The usual feed-tables 3 having driven rollers 4 are shown on the opposite sides of the stand of rolls 1.

Above the tables and the roll-pass and on opposite sides of the stand of rolls 1 are suitably supported heating-furnaces or chambers 5 and 5, within which are rotatably mounted reels or rums 6 and 7, and from which the inclined chutes 8 and 9 (to be hereinafter descrlbed) lead down to the roll-pass. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, each of the heat- 1n furnaces comprises upper and lower semicy 1ndr1cal metallic shells 10 and 11, having closed end Walls 12, and lined with refractory 13. The lower shell 11 has an inner flange portlon 14 at its top and an outer cup portlon 15, and the upper shell 10 has an mner flange portion 16 which rests on the flange 14, and an outer downwardly bent lip 17 whlch projects into the cup 15, where the jolnt is packed with loose refractory 18.- By reason of this construction the upper half of the furnace may be lifted off the lower half by means of a hoisting crane whenever desired. The resistors 19 are suitably arranged and mounted within the heating chamber for the electrical generation of heat. The-transverse opening 20 is formed in the upper shell 10 for the passage of the strip being rolled. I term each heating furnace and reel, with the r accessories, collectively a coiler. A trough or basin 21 may be formed in the bottom of the lower shell 11, and be filled with a substance having a greater ailinity for oxygen than has the metal strip being rolled, such as coal dust, coke or charcoal 22, so as to protect the strip from injurious scaling.

Each reel or drum 6 and 7 is mounted upon a driving shaft 23 which projects out through suitable openings in the opposite end walls 12 of the heating chamber and is supported in bearings 24. The reel has a transverse slot 25 in its wall ada ted to receive the advance end of the strip eing rolled, the entrance opening 26 of which is shown in Figure 4 as standing adjacent to the opening 20 in the wall of the coiler. A second transverse slot 27 through the inner wall of the slot 25 near its entrance end connects the slot 25 with the inner open body of the reel, and in this slot 27 works the locking-bar 28, adapted when projected outwardly to bind the advance portion of the strip being rolled against the o posite wall of the slot 25 and thus lock t e strip to the reel in the coiler. At its inner end the bar 28 carries a stub shaft 29 the opposite ends of which are connected to the hor zontal arms of rocking-levers 30 pivoted to I standards 31 supported on one of the hubs 32 of the reel on opposite sides of the drivingshaft 23. The lower ends of the vertical arms of the levers 30 are connected by, the sleeve 34, which rotates with ut can slide upon the shaft. 23. A'collar 35 is mounted upon the sleeve 34 between an inner shoulder 36 on the sleeve and the rings 37 held in. place by a nut 38 screwed u on the outer end of the sleeve. Anti-friction alls 39 are interosed between the rings 37. A bifurcated ever 40, pivoted at one end to the standard 41, is connected at its central points by pins 42 to the collar 35, and atjits oglp'osite end is loosely connected by link 43 to t e iston-rod 44 ofthe motor-c lmder 45. Thus y operat-' in the piston in the cylinder 45, the bar 28 will be advanced and retracted to lock and release the end'of the strip being rolled.

Mechanism suitable for driving the reel to wind up the strip as it comes from the rolls is also shown in Figure motor 46 is connected by a magnetic clutch 47 to the end of the shaft 48 supported in bearin site on shaft 48 has fastened to it the PlhlOIl 50 which meshes with and drives the gear wheel 51 which is fastened upon'the drivingshaft 23 of the reel.- At its projecting opposite end the shaft 23 may carry any su table indicating device 52, such for exampleas a ointer, to show the position of the reel within the co ler, and particularly when it is in I the. proper position to receive the advance end of the strip being rolled, as shown 1n Figure 4; A separate slow drive-is employed for turning the empty reel to the strip-receiving position shown in Figure 4, after the motor has been stopped and the -magnetic clutch 47 (which is in the motor-operating circuit) has been opened. A separate-motor 53 operates a worm and worm-wheel in the casing 54, the worm-wheel carrying a short I shaft connected by a magnetic clutch 55 with the end of the shaft 48, as also shown in Figure 2. a 4

In the unwinding of the reel 6 or 7, when the circuit of motor 46 will be broken and the clutch 47 open, it is desirable that the reverse rotation of the -reel shall be stopped (and the trailing end of the strip be released) shortly before the strip is wholly withdrawn from the coiler. For that purpose we provide a magnetic brake 56 for the shaft 48, the operation of the brake being controlled by a limit switch in thebox 57, and the switch being operated. by a shaft 58 having a pinion 59 meshing with a reel-shaft 23. lectrical apparatus of this character is well known to those skilled in the art, and detailed description of any of several forms which may be used is theresmall links 33 to I shown in Figure 4.

2. The shaft of the.

on the standards 49. At its oppo-' pinch-rolls may' be inion 60 on the end of the apropos that it will cause the brake 56 to act upon the shaft 48 one comp ete unwindin and we calculate that t pletely stopped in a half of a he trailing end of the stri e reel will be comhaving been by 28, the balance of the strip will be free to be drawn out of the coiler. The brake 56 will then be opened and the motor 53 operated to turn the reel to-the strip-receiving position upon the reel during une a band-brake 61 ofcomshaft 23, .having its free To act asa dra winding we'provi mon form for the end counterweignted, so as when the shaft is turning in 2 and 3.'

At the top of each .of the chutes 8 and 9 there is arranged a guide comprising a rear section 62 pivoted at 63 to a bracket or brackets ,.on the housing.64.of pinch-rolls 65 to' be mentioned presently and resting u on the lower lip of the entrance 20 into the coder, and an outer telescopic section 66 which is connected to a rock-shaft 67, and may be moved forwardly and backwardl by turning the rock-shaft by any suita le moans. Thus the tip of the section 66 may be projected in'close to the reel, as shown at the referably when the reelhas still revolution to make, I 0

revolution more.

.thattime released by with rawal of the bar to operate only the unwinding direction. This brake is shown in Figures right-hand side, of Figure 1, or it may be and back to the stand of rolls 1i These driven by any suitable mechanism, but preferably by an electric mo-.' tor, including in the motor-operating circuit a magnetic clutch operating in the same way as the clutch 47.' Adjacent to and immediately below the pinch-rolls is a shear comprising a movable blade 68 and a fixed lade 69.

Below the shear and extending into roxv imity to thestand of rolls 1 each of the'c utes 8 and 9 has a tilting section 70 centrally mounted upon a rock-shaft 71. This tilting section has a floor and preferably opposite vided so that they may be swung'to a horizontal position, on one side of the rolls 1 to admit the strip coming from the roughing .side walls 72. The tilting sections are prorolls of the mill, and'on the other side to deliver thefinished' strip. V Or if desired both sections may be swung out of the way and the strip be given one or more passes through the rolls 1 before it enters the chutes and coilers. Also by tilting either section to the position shown in dotted lines at the righthand side of Figure 1, any crop ends cut ofiz' by the shears can be delivered upon the roller table 3and dis of without delaying the operation of. e mill.

Means are provided for maintaining tension upon the :strip in case it shall loop up between the rolls 1 and the pinch-rolls. Each tilting section carries beneath its floor a transverse rock-shaft 73,-operated by a crank 74 at one end, which is connected by a link 75 with the piston-rod 76 of a fluid-pressure cylinder 77, asshown in Figure 5. Ad-

jacent to" the opposite ends of the shaft 73 are fastened the bent arms 78 carrying in their ends, respectively, the hubs o rollers 79 and 80, slots 81 being out in the opposite side walls 72 to allow the passage of the hubs of the rollers as the arms 78 are rocked by means of the described connections. In the operation of the mill the strip on each side the rolls 1 will pass under the roller 79 and over the roller 80. Tension is maintained yieldingly upon the looped strip, as shown in Fi ure 1, by means of the fluid-pressure cy inders, and the size of the loop aids the operator in adjustin the speed of rotation of the reel in the coi er to the speed of the reducing rolls. A bearin roller 82 is journaled in the opposite si e walls 72 to maintain tension upon the loo ed strip, if necessary, on the upper side 0 the roller 80. If desired, the rollers 79 and 80 may be operated independently of each other, as shown in Figure 6. In such case the rollers 79 and 80 are mounted in the ends of independent arms, the arms 83 of the roller 79 being secured to the shaft 73 and operated by the cylinder 77 as in Figure 5, while the roller 80 is mounted in the ends of arms 84 fastenedto a sleeve which surrounds the shaft 73, and which is connected to a second fluid-pressure cylinder 85. V

In operation, assuming that the table 3 at the right-hand side of Figure 1 leads from the roughing mill, the roughed-down strip will be carried on this table into and through the initial pass between the reducing rolls 1, which also act to feed thestrip up the chute at the left and between the pinch-rolls, which are being driven at that time and which feed the strip on into the coiler, the guide 62, 66 being in advanced position to direct the leading end of the strip into the slot in the reel. As soon as the leading end of the strip enters the slot 25 it is locked by the bar 28, and the coiler-motor is started andthe strip is wound on the reel, the pinch-roll motor being stopped and the driving-shaft disconnected by opening of its magnetic clutch, so that during the winding operation the pinch-rolls act as idle guide rollers. If during the rolling and winding operation the strip should loop up between the reducing rolls and the pinchrolls, fluid pressure will be admitted to the cylinder 77 to maintain the proper yielding tension upon the strip by means of the roller 80 and the opposite flanking rollers 79 and 82, while the operator synchronizes as nearly as may be the winding speed with the speed of the reducing rolls. As soon as the trailin' end of the strip passes the reducing rolls an before it reaches the pinch-rolls, the reel in the coiler is sto pod and its motor disconnected from the drive shaft. The reducing rolls are then adjusted and started in the op osite direction, and the pinch-rolls are then riven in the opposite direction to feed the strip back through the reducing rolls,- whence it oesto the coiler 5 at the right-hand side of *igure 1, and is wound upon the reel7 in the same manner asalready described. During this reducing operation the pinch-rolls at the left turn idly, and the reducing rolls unwind the strip, the unwinding speed of the reel 6 being controlled by the drag-brake 61. When the last unwinding revolution of the reel 6 is reached, the locking-bar 28 is retracted and the brake 56 is automatically applied to the shaft 48. Thus the reel 6 is stopped, and the reducin rolls draw out the unlocked trailing end of t e strip. Then the brake on the shaft 48 is released and the reel 6 is turned to receiving position by the motor 53. The strip may be given as many passes through the reducing rolls as may be desired, the rolls being adjusted between reductions by any of the well-known means, and since the strip is being repeatedly heated in the coilers, its proper rolling temperature will be maintained and it can be reduced to any thinness practicable by hot rolling. And since the strip while coiled loses its heat -comparatively slowly, under some conditions the reducing operation may be performed without supplying heat to the coilers.

In efforts to roll single lengths of wide,

tered in properly entering and delivering the strip into and from the reducing rolls. In the practice of the present invention such difficulties can be eliminated by making the final reducing passes While retaining the opposite ends of the strip in the opposite coilers, or at least back of the pinch-rolls, and shearing off the short unreduced opposite end portions, which will be only a negligible part of a long strip. In such case, after the final pass from left to right, the reducing rolls can be opened and the unreduced end drawn through and sheared oil, and the finished strip then fed down onto the left-hand delivery-table 3 and the opposite end sheared ofl.

It will be noticed also that if the tilting sections of the chutes are turned to horizontal position, the mill with the opposite tables 3 may be used for rough rolling in the usual manner.

It is obvious that the coilers may be heated by the combustion of fuel instead of by electrically generated heat, and it is also the fact thatmany changes may be made in the structure and the various operating means here- 1b a long, thin piece of metal which is compara-' tively narrow, m6 of a maximum-width of sixteeninches. ur' invention is not limited to the manufacture of such pieces, but it c is the intention to cover in the a pended claims the manufacture of long, thin ieces of metal of any practicable width, and esignated by us generally (whether narrow or v a wide) as thin metal strips.

We claim as our invention: 1. In a rolling-mill for the manufacture of hot-rolled thin metal strips, thecombination with reducing rolls, of a pair of heatingchambers arranged one on each side of said rolls each having an opening for the passage of strip, means for supplying heat to each chamber, a winding-reel mounted in each chamber, means for guiding the strip from the rolls to each reel, means connected to each reel for alternately securing and releasin the strip, and means for operating each res and winding the strip thereon.

2. In a rolling-mill for the manufacture of hot-rolled thin metal strips, the combination with reducing rolls, of a pair of heatingchambers arranged one on each side of said rolls each having an opening for the passage of the'strip, means .for en plying heat to each chamber, a winding-rec mounted in each chamber, means for guiding the strip from 40 the rolls to each reel, means for securing the 'strip to eachreel, means for operating each reel and winding the stri thereon, and means for returning the strip rom each reel to the rolls.

' hot-rolled thin metal strips, the combination with reducing rolls, of a winding-reel-adapted to receive the strip from the rolls, means for securing the strip to the reel, means for so operatingthe reel and winding the strip thereon, and yielding means for "exerting tension upon the strip between the rolls and the reel. I

4. In a rolling-mill for the manufacture of hot-rolled thin metal strips, the combination with reducing rolls and mill tables arranged on opposite sides of said rolls, of a pair of winding-reels arranged one on each side of said rolls and above said tables, and chutes leading from, said rolls to said reels, each of said chutes having a movable lower section.

5. In a rolling-mill for the manufacture of hot-rolled thin metal strips, the combination with reducing rolls, of a winding-reel adapted to receive the strip from the rolls, a guide with reducing rolls, of a wind 3. In a rolling-mill for the manufacture of Lemma with reducing rolls, of a winding-reel adapb ed to receive the strip from the rolls, means for secu the strip to. the reel, means for operating e reel and winding the strip t ereon, and means for exertin tension upon the strip between theirolls an the reel, said tension-exerting means comprising a pair of spaced shiftable rollers adapted to hear one upon each face of the strip and fluid-pressure means for shifting said rollers.

7. In a rolling-mill for the manufacture of hot-rolled thin metal strips, the combination ing ano-rifice adapted to receive t e advance end of a strip delivered -from the rolls, a movable locking-member adapted to lock the stripagainst the wall of the orifice, means for operating the locking-member, and means for operating the reel and winding the strip thereon.

8. In a rolling-mill for themanufacture of hot-rolled thin metal stri s, the combination with reducing rolls, 0 a winding-reel adapted to receive the strip from the rolls, means for securing the strip to the reel, a motor detachably connected to the real for rotating the reel and causing it to wind up the strip, means for disconnecting the motor, means for returning the strip to the rolls and thereby causing reverse rotation of the reel, and means for automatically stopping such reverse rotation at a predetermined point.

. 9. In a rolling-mill for the manufacture-of hot-rolled thin metal strips, the combination with reducing rolls, of a winding-reel having a strip-receiving orifice ada ted to re-' -.ce'1ve the'strip from the rolls an meansfor securing the strip .to the reel, a guide for the strip adjacent to the reel, a motor detachably connected to the reel for rotating the reel andcausing it' to wind up the strip, means for disconnecting the motor, means for returning the strip to the rolls and thereby causing reverse rotation ofthe reel, means for stopping such reverse rotation, and a secceiving position with said orifice in a ignment with said guide.

10. In a rolling mill for the manufacture of hot rolled thin metal strips, the combination with reducing rolls and mill tables arranged on opposite sides of said rolls, of a pair of winding reels arranged one on each side of said rolls and above said tables, and chutes leading from said rolls to said reels, said chutes being movable at least in part so as to lie clear of material on said mill tables.

11.- In combination with a mill,-a mill table on either side of the mill arranged to support material'while the same is rolled back and -mill for the manufacture of reel hav-- end motor for moving the reel to stri -reforth through the mill, means for effecting coiling of the material on either side of the mill as it issues therefrom, and inch rolls for engagin the issuing materia prior to the coilin t reof, the pinch rolls being so arr range as to be out of the way of material rolled back and forth on the mill tables.

12. In the method of rolling in a mill, the steps consisting in supplying a generally flat iece of material, rolling the same back and orth in the mill while it is in substantially flat form, continuing the rolling back and forth in the same mill and alternately coiling and uncoiling the rolled material.

13. In the method of rolling strip material in a mill, the ste s consisting in rolling material back and orth while in substantially flat condition, and, after it has reached a desired thinness, rolling it back and forth in the same mill to effect a further reduction and coiling the same after each pass.

14. In the method of rolling in a mill, the ste s consisting in rolling the material back an forth, engaging the surfaces of the issuing material after each pass so as to feed the same forward and exert a tensic 1 thereon, coiling the material beyond the point of engagement by the pinch rolls, and uncoiling and feeding it back through the pinch rolls to the mill.

15. In the method of rolling in a mill, the steps consisting in rolling material back and forth in substantially the flat state, and thereafter continuing the rolling by successive passes in said mill but diverting the material from its path and effecting coiling of the same.

16. In combination with a mill, a table on either side of the mill of such character as to support a flat piece of material from the time of issuance thereof from between the rolls of the mill until it has been fed back through the mill, the tables being effective for supporting the material while it is relatively thick and in an uncoiled state, and coilers adapted for automatically reeling and paying out ma terial rolled on the mill when the same has been thinned and elongated.

17. In combination with a mill, a table on either side of the mill of such character as to support a flat piece of material from the time of issuance thereof from between the rolls of the mill until it has been fed back through the mill, the tables being effective for supporting the material while it is relatively thick and in an uncoiled state, coilers adapted for automatically reeling and paying out material rolled on the mill when the same has been thinned and elongated, and means for maintaining the coiled material at elevated temperature.

. 18. In combination with a mill for rolling material first in one direction and then in the other, a roll table on either side of the mill 66 whereby a piece in fiat or slab-like condition matically reelin substantiall in its entirety on the tables durmay be rolled .back and forth and supported ing such r01 ing, and coilers adapted for autorolled on the mill after the same has been thinned and elongated. I

19. In combination with a mill for rolling material first in one direction and then in the other, a roll table on either side of the mill whereby a piece in flat or slab-like condition may be rolledback and forth and supported substantially in its entirety on the tables during such rolling, coilers adapted for automatically reeling and paying out material rolled on the mill after the same has been thinned and elongated, and means for guiding .the material to the coilers.

20. In combination with a mill for rolling material first in one direction and then in the other, a mill table on either side of the mill arranged to support material in a flat condition while the same is rolled back and forth through the mill, means for effecting coiling of material on either side of the mill as it issues therefrom, and means for diverting material from the plane of a mill table into a path to be engaged by the coiler.

21. In combination with a mill for rolling material first in one direction and then in the other, a mill table on either side of the mill arranged to support material in a flat condition while the same is rolled back and forth through the mill, means for effecting coiling of material on either side of the mill as it issues therefrom, pinch rolls for engaging the issuing material prior to the coiling thereof, and means for diverting material from the plane of a mill table into apath to be engaged by the coiler.

22. In combination with a rolling mill, a mill table on either side of the mill arranged to support material while the same is rolled back and forth through the mill in the flat state, means for deflecting material upwardly from the plane of the tables, and a coiler on either side of the mill for engaging and coiling the deflected material.

23. In combination with a rolling mill, a mill table on either side of the mill arranged to support material while the same is rolled back and forth through the mill in the flat state, means for deflecting material upwardly from the plane of the tables, a coiler on either side of the mill for engaging and coiling the deflected material, and chambers above the plane of the tables containing the coilers, the chambers being arranged to prevent loss of heat of the coiled material.

24. In a method of rolling strip in a mill adapted to roll material first in one direction and then in the other and having pinch rolls on the opposite sides thereof, the steps including reducing thestrip in the mill and passing it through the pinch rolls on the exit side of the mill and coiling the material beand paying out material yond said pinch rolls, continuing the rollmg until the trailin end of the Strip passes through the mill r01 s, stopping the material,

and utilizing said pinch rolls to feedthe material back to the mill.

25. In a method of rolling strip in a mill adapted to roll material first in one direction and then in the other and having pinch rolls on opposite sides thereof, the steps including driving the pinch rolls on the entering side of the mill to feed the leading end of a stri toward and through the mill and throu ii the pinch rolls on the exit side, coiling t e material beyond the last-mentioned pinch rolls, continuing the rolling until the trailmg end of the strip passes through the mill r0 ls, and reversing the last-mentioned pinch rolls to feed the strip back toward and through the mill.

'material beyond said pinch rolls, continuing the rolling until the trailing end of the strip passes through the mill rolls, stopping the material before the trailing. end has passed through the pinch rolls, and utilizing the pinch rolls for feeding such end of the' strip 7 ack to the mill.

ROBERT M. KEENEY. JOHN F. FERM. 

